Mirror Mutiny

Story: Fairest of Them All

Written By:  James Kerwin and Vic Mignogna

Series: Star Trek Continues

Year: 2014

Now this is some fun stuff.  After producing "Lolani" which to me is as solid a Star Trek story as you can ask for...the "Star Trek Continues" gang return with this equally solid episode, reinforcing that they are pretty much as good a fan production as one could ask for.  This time they return the original crew to the Mirror Universe, only it takes a cue from the fun "Enterprise" two-parter "In a Mirror, Darkly" and doesn't have any Prime Universe counterparts enter the mirror universe. 

Basically, it picks up exaclty where "Mirror, Mirror" left off, with Mirror Spock seeing Prime Kirk and co. beamed back to their own universe...only we see the aftermath of Kirk's speech to Spock.  It was stated in the DS9 Mirror episodes that Mirror Spock lead a revolution that took down the Terran Empire, and he we get to see how he overthrew Mirror Kirk (Mignogna is pretty great as Evil Kirk here by the way, really relishing in his nastiness, in just the same way that he plays Proper Kirk so damn well), and it is a fun ride to watch the mutiny and evilness of these characers, especially the ones we didn't get to see played out as evil too much in the original episode.  

It is a fun ride, and episode that I'd happily watch right after watching the original "Mirror, Mirror." I think I might've enjoyed it more than the "Enterprise" two-parter...and that is one of their better efforts! I don't know how it ranks up against the DS9 Mirror Saga...but even though I tended to enjoy those, even I can admit they could be hit and miss...so this may very well be as good if not better than some of that (but I mean..DS9 is just the best).  So I really do think this is a fine addition to the Trek canon!

The recreation of the look of the Mirror universe - from costumes, set redresses, even hairdos is just as top notch as their work in earlier episodes.  One of the odd things about "Continues" to me is that part of what kept me from watching fan films up til now was that they always seemed to be more about showboating their Trek knowledge and making sequels and references that I had no interest in seeing.  Continues won me over completely by it's third episode...yet two out of three were sequels!  I think what sets them apart is that despite being sequels...they have legit stories they are trying to tell underneath the look of TOS and the wink wink sequel thing they are doing.  Their stories tell a deeper and engaging story...and that is really what all of the best Trek does.

NEXT TIME: The Past Loves of Kirk